My daughter asked me tonight what wine would go with teryaki chicken (she's planning a dinner for a new boy toy, um friend). My first thought was something white, crisp and acidic - possibly a New Zealand or Oz (Nepenthe) Sauvignon Blanc, or a similar styled Chenin. But then I started thinking maybe a bone dry Riesling. Any other ideas?

This is kind of neat - my daughter has always referrred to wine as 'rotten grape juice' but she has started tasting some of them and likes some of the whites she's sampled. And then, recently, for my birthday she surprised me with a bottle of Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon (one I had professed liking, so she did have a clue to work with).

Doug

If God didn't want me to eat animals, why did He make them out of meat?

Hi Doug - I apologize if this post is not too helpful, as I'm not a fan of Teryali. Recently I was at the home of my future daughter-in-law's family for dinner (they like their wine) and they served beautiful rib-eye steaks, marinated in Teryali. I thought it was a horrible to do that to such nice meat. But, I digress. I use a locally made marinade for chicken and find your choices of dry Riesling or Chenin (Vouvray) to be the best matches for such dishes. Either of these wines could easily be appreciated by a newbie. Let us know how you make out.

Dear Tim,I absolutely agree with you. There is no satisfactory way, in my mind, to match anything with a sweet sauce, like teriyaki, without a sweet wine. A non-dry spaetlese riesling or gewurz is ideal, as you said. Another of my favorites is Ironstone's Obsession, which is pretty widely available and cheap. And I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss white zinfandel, it does pretty well with sweetly sauced Asian food.

I set out an off-dry Riesling for her, a George Bruer Charm which she liked well enough to drink the whole bottle over a 6 hour period. Then yesterday I opened a 2001 Erben von Beulwitz Kaseler Nies'chen Riesling Spätlese to go with some spicy food and then I treated her and my guest to some 03 Markus Molitor Wehlener Klosterberg Auslese, both of which were well received. Tasting notes to follow soon.

Doug

If God didn't want me to eat animals, why did He make them out of meat?